This article is full of tips and instructions to craft a useful employee survey.
Human Resources Q&A: Writing and conducting an effective employee survey
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Articles
Board governance best practices: An interview with Sande Smith
Sande Smith on best practices for running a board.
Governance Q&A: Succession planning
Steps to take when developing a executive director succession plan.
The Print Shop: A case study in sustainability
A case study of the Phoenix Print Shop, a social enterprise supporting Eva’s Initiative.
Better start planning how you are going to manage the impact of the recession
Do you know how well prepared your organization is to withstand the growing impact of the recession? Have you developed and implemented a recession plan?
Canada’s food bank system and the global recession
According to a January 2009 report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), the need for food banks in Canada has risen dramatically since the food bank system was put in place in 1981, with the opening of the country’s first food bank in Edmonton.
Getting back your GST
This podcast discusses which charities are eligible to reclaim their GST and what they need to claim on a yearly basis. It also explains the Public Service Bodies Rebate, and outlines other types of GST rebates that charities should be aware of.
Understanding financial ratios
This article defines and explains ratios that are used in financial analysis.
Career Q&A: Should I go back to school?
Is pursuing a MBA right for your career? Our career expert advises a reader who is feeling unhappy and unmotivated in their current position.
The evolving role of a volunteer resources specialist
The need for a more structured volunteer environment appears evident. Charitable organizations are taking a much more business-like approach toward their volunteers – enter the volunteer resources specialist.
Pygmalion in the workplace
The self-fullfilling “Pygmalion” effect in the workplace.
Human Resources Q&A: Mentoring, coaching, trainining and development
This article clarifies what is meant by the terms mentoring, coaching, training, development and counselling.
Funder stewardship: Talk is not cheap
How do grantees steward these vital relationships when granting is at a standstill? And where do they go from here?
Managing endowments during difficult financial times
This article provides some ideas for what a charity can do when it has insufficient income from an endowment fund to meet its disbursement quota under the Income Tax Act.
Ethics Q&A: To fee or not to fee
Members, donors, voting rights – what to look out for when considering changes to membership fee structure.
Ten mistakes that sink collaborations!
Ten actions that can cause working collaborations to fail.
Lessons learned in a nonprofit world: Learning through the experiences of others (Part II)
An interview with Elizabeth Lengyel, a career coach and advisor from PeopleCoach Inc. About how to cope with personal change.
Have cause, will travel
It’s not every Christmas Eve that one finds oneself in the remote village of Cusco, Peru stirring up vats of Peruvian hot chocolate and handing out mug-fulls to the local street children. But that’s exactly how Ari and Jennifer Zainuddin spent their holiday last year.
A resource to capitalize on during tight financial times
This article offers seven tips for maintaining your volunteer programs during difficult economic conditions.
Right on the money: What board members should know about their financial responsibilities
A basic knowledge of financial management is a must for nonprofit board members.
How to take your proposals from Trash it! to Fund it!
According to a survey conducted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the number one complaint from foundations is that applicants submit proposals that do not match their guidelines.
Fundraising Q&A: How to get your board to fundraise
This article outlines how to help your board of directors become better at fundraising.
Rolling the dice on charity lotteries
With the worldwide recession in full swing, is the charity lottery still a sure bet when donors are watching their dollars more than ever? Perhaps more importantly, is it still ethical to continue using them? According to some, the recession has actually increased participation in lotteries.
Making the nonprofit leap: What you need to know
When transitioning from the corporate to the nonprofit world, keep these tips in mind.
Greening the workspace
How organizations across Canada are going green.
Building a new not-for-profit organization: What to expect from your board of directors
This is the second in a series of articles focusing on key steps in building a solid organization. This article focuses on what to expect from a new board of directors.
Career Q&A: Office affairs
How to handle the awkwardness of an office romance gone wrong.
Attending conferences: Tips for success
Steps to make attending a conference positive and rewarding.
How the GST affects charities
We discuss the unique effect that the GST has on charities, the importance for the organization and its directors to understand their liabilities with regard to the GST, and how to determine whether a charity should register for a GST number.
Human Resources Q&A: Onboarding or orientation?
This article explains what onboarding means and offer a checklist to do it properly.
The virtues of going virtual
The benefits and challenges of running a virtual office.
Bowling and the power of the positive
Case study on a bowling study and the power of positivity on improved performance.
Time for a financial fitness check-up?
This article discusses financial prudence and includes a quiz to assess financial controls.
Governance Q&A: Developing an ethics program
A quick guide on where an organization needs to start when developing an ethics program.
The secrets of storytelling and leadership in tough times
How to tell effective stories in tough times.
How to keep costs steady when funding isn’t
This article outlines ways your organization can keep on top of and minimize costs.
Fundraising Q&A: Building donor relationships
This article is about building relationships with donors, particularly major donors, and how to get your board of directors involved in the process.
The Hadassah-WIZO Bazaar: A fundraising case study
It is the end of an era. After 84 years of running Toronto’s annual shopping extravaganza, drawing thousands of bargain hunters from every corner of the city, the Hadassah-WIZO Bazaar has called it quits.
Executing a successful awareness day
A profile of Purple Day, an awareness day for epilepsy, and how the lessons they learned can help you better execute your awareness day campaign.
Building a new not-for-profit organization
This is the first in a series of articles to assist people involved in building a new not-for-profit organization. Over the next several months, we will discuss key steps in building a solid organization.
Venture Philanthropy: Boldly going forward
Once the new kid on the block, venture philanthropy has grown into its own in the past decade. The urge by young and emerging entrepreneurs to spur social change and increase capacity in the charitable sector while still making a profit may have started off small, but it’s gaining a lot of credence.
Career Q&A: Feeling trapped in your job
It can be hard to know what to do when you feel trapped in your job – unhappy but unable to give up a steady paycheque. Our Career Q&A columnist has some tips.
Leaner times call for leaner measures
Following these 15 tips can help you save money and prepare for future funder and donor cutbacks.
Introduction to the Goods and Services Tax
Understanding how the Goods and Services Tax (GST) works is important to all Canadians. In this podcast, find out exactly what the GST is and how it works, whether it is similar to PST in some provinces, as well as how to register for a GST number and how to get a GST tax return.
The ins and outs of wrongful dismissal for charities and nonprofits
Legal, statutory and common law requirements for dismissing an employee.
Governance Q&A: Reimbursing volunteer expenses
The volunteer policies in place should dictate what to do when volunteers incur expenses.
Strategies to proactively assess the impact of the growing recession on your organization
This article provides you with a decision-making framework that will help you to assess the impact of the growing recession on your organization.
Lessons learned in a nonprofit world: Learning through the experiences of others
An interview with Dave O’Brien from the University of Victoria about how to live a mindful life.
Now is the time to exercise your resiliency muscles
Nonprofit organizations are coming to terms with the impact the economic recession is having on their financial sustainability. Now is precisely the time to reflect, reinvent and innovate.
Fundraising Q&A: Does the recession call for a bucket or an umbrella?
This article is about the 2009 recession and how fundraisers can weather the storm including through good stewardship practices and a major gifts program.
